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Many Different Views of Abstract Art by Artists Past and Present - Manhattan Arts
Abstract Art: Throwing Out The Rules
Abstract art is a no-art art that does not have any rules.
The abstraction is a freeing concept that allows the artist to tap into their intuition, innovativeness and even inner darkness to spill out what is felt inside, creating multi-dimensional magic on canvas.
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Key Ideas
The Concept of Graffiti
Graffiti, or the practice of writing, drawing, painting or doodling on walls and other surfaces is as old as man himself, with prehistoric and ancient cave paintings of hunting scenes being the fir...
Modern Graffiti
- Contemporary graffiti dates back to 1967, arising from the Black and Latino communities in New York City, with the aerosol spray paint acting as a catalyst.
- The artists, known as taggers, used to ‘tag’ or paint in as many locations as possible, with the intention to ‘get up’, having maximum people see the art.
- Subway cars and trains became the next big thing to ‘tag’ with graffiti, as their mobile nature ensured that more people would see it. The giant artwork had a unique energy and aura while it moved, creating an effect that is not possible on a static wall.
NYC Graffiti Problem
In about a decade, the ‘vandalism’ of infrastructure and public property became a big problem in NYC, as it had a negative psychological effect on every citizen. The authorities put in measures to make it harder for the writers to hit their targets, but it just made the game more challenging and interesting for the artists.
Extreme steps were taken in 1984 to clear NYC of Subway car/train graffiti, and commuters had to face hardships, but the practice of street graffiti flourished in the coming decades.
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Key Ideas
Art doesn't have to be intimidating
Art is not only a great source of pleasure in our lives but can also further enrich and deepen our understanding of the world around us.
Developing a casual understanding of art is not that...
How to appreciate a painting through your senses
Art should appeal to you first through your senses. It should grab your eye in some way, such as its subject matter, its use of color, its realistic appearance, a visual joke, or any other factors.
Once you've gotten an overall look at the painting, ask yourself what the subject of the painting is. It might be a landscape, a person or group of people, a scene from a story, a building, an animal, etc. Some paintings will be abstract.
Focus on what a painting says to you
Look for symbols in paintings - something that means something else. Often a painting will include obvious symbols. For instance, skulls were often included in portraits of the wealthy to remind them that their wealth was worldly and ultimately meaningless.
Focus on what the work says to you, instead of trying to figure out what the artist meant.
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Key Ideas
Why we like art
Art is most exciting when it creates states of psychological conflict, confusion, or dissonance.
While in other circumstances, such an onslaught might make us run a mile, with art, we ...
Visual indeterminacy
It occurs when we are presented with something that we don't immediately recognize. It creates a degree of cognitive dissonance that may be frustrating or even unpleasant.
For example, seeing a vague shape in the corner of a room that might be a cat or a bag. A second look is needed to satisfy our curiosity.
Color conflicts
Complementary colors lie opposite one another on the spectrum. For example, red complements blue, yellow complements violet.
When complementary colors are placed in close proximity, it is apt to cause conflict and disturb the eyes. Used subtly, it can make our eyes dance to a discordant tune.